Cardiac assistance device and method for the control thereof

Abstract

A cardiac assistance, device has a supporting component, which surrounds the heart and on the inside of which a plurality of adjacent inflatable and deflatable chambers are provided, via which an inside wall can be displaced inward. The chambers have a fluidic connection to at least one pump via lines. A plurality of supply valves on the supply side are arranged between the pump and the chambers. Some individual chambers or groups of chambers are assigned dedicated supply valves, in order to drive the chambers individually or in groups.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A cardiac assistance device comprising:
 a supporting component configured to surround a heart and having an inside wall arranged to face the heart; 
 a plurality of inflatable chambers disposed within the supporting component and arranged to displace respective regions of the inside wall of the supporting component toward the heart when inflated; 
 a fluid circuit comprising a pump having an inlet and an outlet, and a plurality of combined supply and discharge valves, each valve fluidly connecting the pump inlet and outlet to a respective subset of inflatable chambers, the valves being independently operable to control the supply and discharge of fluid to their respective subset of the inflatable chambers, and 
 an intracorporeal fluid refill tank connected to the fluid circuit via a refill tank valve that allows fluid to flow from the refill tank into the fluid circuit when opened. 
 
     
     
       2. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid circuit further comprises an accumulator disposed between the pump and the inflatable chambers, such that fluid is fed from the pump into the accumulator. 
     
     
       3. The device of  claim 2 , further comprising a pressure sensor responsive to pressure in the accumulator. 
     
     
       4. The device of  claim 3 , further comprising a control system coupled to the pressure sensor and configured to increase speed of rotation of the pump when the pressure in the pressure accumulator reaches a predefined pressure threshold. 
     
     
       5. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid circuit further comprises at least one fluid collection chamber disposed downstream of the inflatable chambers,
 such that fluid flows from the inflatable chambers back to the pump through the fluid collection chamber. 
 
     
     
       6. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid circuit includes a respect supply line to each inflatable chamber. 
     
     
       7. The device of  claim 6 , wherein each inflatable chamber has a discharge side directly connected to the pump. 
     
     
       8. The device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a valve control system operably connected to the valves; and 
 an emergency sensor system responsive to chamber leakage detection and configured to permanently close the valve associated with an inflatable′ chamber from which leakage is detected. 
 
     
     
       9. The device of  claim 1 , further comprising an emergency pump and a pump control system configured to activate the emergency pump in response to detection of as defect of the pump of the fluid circuit. 
     
     
       10. The device of  claim 1 , further comprising
 a plurality of pressure sensors configured to emit pressure signals indicative of chamber or blood pressure; and 
 a central control system operably connected to the valves and pump and responsive to the pressure signals, the central control system configured to operate the valves to empty their respective subsets of inflatable chambers to a lesser degree in response to a signal indicating a constantly reduced pressure. 
 
     
     
       11. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the refill tank valve is configured to be operable from outside the body containing the heart. 
     
     
       12. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the refill tank valve is configured to automatically open in response to a loss of fluid in the fluid circuit. 
     
     
       13. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid circuit further comprises a transcutaneously connectable refill interface releasably couplable to a refill tool connectable from the outside the body containing the heart. 
     
     
       14. The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a central subcutaneous control system operably connected to the pump and the valves, the control system including at least one of
 a receiver via which the control system is reprogrammable; and 
 a transmitter to transmit data from the device. 
 
     
     
       15. The device of  claim 14 , wherein the transmitter transmits wirelessly. 
     
     
       16. The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the respective subsets of the inflatable chambers consists of a single inflatable chamber. 
     
     
       17. A cardiac assistance device comprising:
 a supporting component configured to surround a heart and having an inside wall arranged to face the heart; 
 a plurality of inflatable chambers disposed within the supporting component and arranged to displace respective regions of the inside wall of the supporting component toward the heart when inflated; 
 a fluid circuit comprising a pump and a plurality of supply valves, each valve connecting the pump to a respective subset of inflatable chambers, the valves being independently operable to control their respective subset of the inflatable chambers; 
 an intracorporeal fluid refill tank connected to the fluid circuit via a refill tank valve that allows fluid to flow from the refill tank into the fluid circuit when opened; and 
 wherein the fluid circuit is an open system and each inflatable chamber has a discharge side vented to atmosphere. 
 
     
     
       18. The device of  claim 17  wherein the pump draws atmospheric air.